IHC reserves verdict on maintainability of petition against Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved its verdict regarding a petition filed with it seeking action against former premier Nawaz Sharif for allegedly threatening to reveal national secrets.

IHC’s Justice Amir Farooq conducted the hearing, during which the petitioners’ counsel, Babar Awan, said the former prime minister threatened to reveal national secrets outside the accountability court on May 3.

He said that India took Nawaz’s statement as an admission of Pakistan’s involvement in terrorism. Awan moved the court to order the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general for action and registration of a case against the former premier.

The court after hearing the arguments reserved its verdict on the maintainability of the petition and adjourned the hearing.

Meanwhile, a petition was filed with the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking action against Nawaz for his recent controversial statement regarding 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The petitioner said the statement by the former premier is tantamount to treason for he defamed the country and national security institutions. He requested the court order action against Nawaz under Article 6 of the constitution.

The court asked the petitioner to submit a copy of the National Security Committee’s press statement and adjourned the hearing until Wednesday.

A similar petition against the former prime minister was also filed with the Sindh High Court (SHC) by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Haleem Adil Sheikh on Tuesday.

The petition sought immediate action against Nawaz under Article 6.

Nawaz, in a recent interview to Dawn newspaper, had said, “Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can’t we complete the trial?”

His remarks were played up by the Indian media as an admission of Pakistan’s involvement in the terrorist attacks, even though similar questions and statements have been raised from civilian and security officials in Pakistan earlier.

On Monday, the National Security Committee (NSC) categorically dismissed former premier’s statement and unanimously termed it “incorrect and misleading.”

“The participants observed that it was very unfortunate that the opinion arising out of either misconceptions or grievances was being presented in disregard of concrete facts and realities,” said a statement issued by the PM Office.

The NSC meeting also unanimously “rejected the allegations and condemned the fallacious assertions.”

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